Rocks ace backed to double his goal tally

Dan Gifford can double his Bognor Regis Town goal haul in the remainder of the Isthmian premier division campaign if he fine-tunes his poacher instinct.

That’s according to Rocks boss Robbie Blake, who is praiseworthy of Gifford but wants him to keep aiming higher.

Gifford, who joined the club permanently in September from National League South Farnborough, hit four goals in the two games against Cray Wanderers and Hashtag United, and has bagged 12 in total so far this season.

Now former Premier League striker Blake has challenged the expompey youngster to maintain his hot streak.

Blake said: “Giffs definitely has a real hunger to score goals and that desire is essential.

"Scoring becomes a habit and he must ensure that continues. In and around the box good strikers come alive and we’ve seen that with him, especially recently.

"Now I’m saying to him, ‘you’ve got 17 games left and you could double your goals if you can stay fit’, and I see no reason why that can’t be the case.

"He’s developing very well and is still learning but shows signs of having that poacher’s instinct.”

Gifford, still only 19, struck twice in Bognor’s thrilling 5-4 win at Hashtag United last week.

His double at the start of that game came after a similar feat at the end of the previous Tuesday’s lastgasp win over Cray Wanderers and meant he’d actually scored four in about 20 minutes of action.

He hoped to continue his impressive form on Tuesday night but a frozen pitch meant the home game against Wingate & Finchley was postponed.

So attention now turns to the away day in Kent.

Blake added: “We’re up to seventh in the table so that tells you we are improving but it’s not enough.

"The aim is to go again and again. "Let’s build on the results we’ve enjoyed of late and go to Margate with confidence and keep it up.”

The Rocks were due to head to Whitehawk this week for a rescheduled Sussex Senior Cup tie.

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